High pressure dry coal slurry extrusion pump

Abstract

A system for providing highly pressurized raw fuel to a pressure reactor. The system includes an inlet for receiving the raw fuel and a roller system communicating with the inlet. The roller system includes a plurality of independent rollers arranged in two converging planes. The rollers of the roller system successively compress the raw fuel as the raw fuel passes through the roller system between the rollers, such that the fuel is highly pressurized when it reaches an output end of the roller system. An outlet is located adjacent the output end of the roller system to dispense the pressurized raw fuel to the pressure reactor.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS [0001] The present application is related in general subject matter to U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2004 / 0071618, entitled “Method and Apparatus for Continuously Feeding and Pressurizing a Solid Material into a High Pressure System,” filed Oct. 15, 2003, assigned to The Boeing Company, and hereby incorporated by reference into the present application. The subject matter of the present application is also related to U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10 / 677,817, entitled “Regeneratively Cooled Synthesis Gas Generator,” filed Oct. 2, 2003, presently allowed, the disclosure of which is also hereby incorporated by reference. Additionally, the subject matter of the present invention is related to U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11 / 081,144, entitled “Compact High Efficiency Gasifier,” filed Mar. 16, 2005. Finally, the subject matter of the present application is related to U.S. patent application Ser. No. ______, entitled “Advanced Coal Ga...

AI Technical Summary

Problems solved by technology

Coal, even when highly pulverized, is substantially a solid material and difficult to pressurize to the high pressures needed for combustion.

Various systems have been developed to provide the high pressure coal required, but these systems all have numerous inefficiencies.

The carrier fluid of the slurry is also provided to the reactor as a large surplus in the slurry, thereby decreasing the efficiency of the reactor.

Still other systems have attempted to provide a feeder system which uses a screw feeder or pump, but has similar disadvantages.

These systems do not easily overcome the high pressure head against which the coal is pumped.

Like those which use incompressible fluids (i.e., water and carbon dioxide, CO2), these later pumps are also very complex and costly.

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